When you get married is your spouse responsible for your past debts?

Question

My fiance is a worrier. A friend of ours thinks that when you get married your debts combine. I haven't got the greatest credit, and he's afraid that my creditors will go after him for what I owe after we marry, cause I do not have an income at the moment ( I'm pregnant and a stay at home mom right now ). He even mentioned having second thoughts of marrying me sooner because of this! I really need to know! I want to get married before our baby is born in Aug.

Answer 1

Depends on where you live. If you live in a common law state, then when you marry everything combines, so in the case of divorce, assets and debt are split 50/50. However! You have your own credit scores. His could still be good, and yours could be bad. Federal loans, like student loans, they remain separate. Look into your local laws in your state.

Answer 2

Technically, if you merge your bank account with his, then the creditors will go after that account and it will be hard for him to get out it. Suppose it is true that your past debt is not his, but you have some equity built up from marrying him (in those states where you are enttitled to half of what he earns upon marriage), the creditors will say now you have something.

If you have a lot of debts, you can probably file for bankruptcy to get rid of most of the debts and live as a housewife for 10 years without credit. If there is not a lot of debt, that's something for the man to consider.

From the man's point of view, if my fiance accumulates debt from schooling, family and health issues, I would not hesitate at all. But if I think I am marrying a big spender and I want to have stable finance in my life, I would think very hard about choosing that woman.

Answer 3

a chum of mine had a similar element take place 6 years in the past and that they caught with the marriage. they want that they had gotten divorced or an annulment instant. My chum ended up suffering to pay of the previous debt and the hot debt. in the journey that your new significant different had that plenty debt earlier the marriage basically think of roughly all spending they're going to do now with your earnings, it fairly is what got here approximately to my chum appropriate now.

Answer 4

Your debt follows your social security number, as far as creditors are concerned, he doesn't show up on your credit report. they can not come after him for your debt. Debt created once you are married is another story, but it really depends on the state you live iin, the laws vary by state.

Answer 5

The website below explains the legal situation concerning your debt and marriage. It will be best if you don't add each other to any of the accounts from before marriage--that way your debts stay separate.

Answer 6

Yeah it should be the one with the debt's responsibility but once you are married you share everything(including debt). If you get divorced you share those debts then too, I had to declare bankruptcy when I got divorced.

Answer 7

when someone loves you and wants to start a life together they should take on everything that comes w/ you. work together and get your debts payed of over time, p.s. being a stay at home mom is a job!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

Debts do combine,

Answer 9

your fiance should only be responsible for debts from the duration of your marriage, your old debts are only your responsibility.

Answer 10

I have a car debt, but my husband doesnt seem to worry about it. I actually am going to work to pay it off because I feel its not his responsibilty. He has offered to pay off my car, but i want to!